Drive mechanism for clothes wringers and the like



May 3, 1955 G. J. FILIA 2,707,404

DRIVE MECHANISM FOR CLOTHES WRINGERS AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 26, 1953 Fig. 2 3' IS A |6 |8 i as 35 3g 32 g I I 23 I u Invent George J. Fi lia, 34 z Y I8 I b9 '5 His Attdrneg- United States Patent 655cc DRHVE MECHANISM FGR CLOTHES WRINGERS AND THE LIKE George J. Filia, Bridgeport, Conn, assignor to General Electric Company, a New York corporation Application August 26, 1953, Serial No. 376,663 l Claims. (Cl. 74--$76) This invention relates to clothes wringers for washing machines, and more particularly to an improved drive mechanism therefor.

An object of my invention is to provide a reversible rive for the rolls of a clothes wringer of simplified construction, having a reduced number of operating parts,

and of lower manufacturing cost.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved shifting arrangement by which the wringer may be in neutral or manually shifted for either direction of wringer roll rotation, with drive from a unidirectional drive shaft.

In accomplishment of the foregoing objectives, a feature of my invention consists in the use of a crown or face gear for driving a wringer roll which includes integrally therewith an annular flange concentric with the gear teeth. This flange cooperates with end surfaces of the driving pinions and thus functions as a spacer for maintaining the pinions in spaced axial relation on the driving shaft and in continuous meshing relation with the face gear. The shifting means may therefore be in the form of a clutch collar slidable, but non-rotatable on the driving shaft and positioned between the pinions. A clutch member on each end of this collar may be engaged with a mating clutch member on the adjacent end of each pinion through a manually operable cam member.

The features of my invention which I believe to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. My invention itself, however, both as to its on ganization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. l is a side elevation, partially in section, through a clothes wringer head and drive mechanism illustrating one form of my invention; and Fig. 2 is a similar side elevation, partially in section, through a wringer head and drive mechanism illustrating a modified form of my invention.

While the present invention is directed particularly to the drive mechanism for a clothes wringer of the type used on domestic washing machines, I have shown only as much of the wringer construction as is necessary for a clear understanding of my invention. For further details of wringer construction, as desired, reference is made to Patent 2,336,233 issued December 7, 1943 to G. W. Dunham and assigned to the General Electric Company, assignee of the present application.

Referring to Fig. l of the drawing, I have shown a wringer head frame 1, which not only supports the various components of the drive mechanism, but also serves to support a wringer frame 2 for pressure rolls 3 and 4 journalled in end styles 5 in a conventional manner. As is usual in such constructions, the head frame 1 provides a means by which the Wringer may be mounted on a Washing machine readily available for use.

Pressure rolls 3 and 4 are pressed together by means (not shown) confined within frame 2 in a manner now well known in the art. Therefore, it is necessary to drive ZJMAM Patented May 3, 1955 only one of the rolls, and as here shown I drive lower roll 4. This is accomplished through a coupling 6 secured to roll shaft 7 and to the hub 8 of a face or crown gear 9. Face gear 9 is rotatably supported by gear frame 1 by means of a bearing support 10, integral with frame 1, which support is lined with appropriate bearing material ll. Gear 9 is formed with teeth 12 on its axially facing end away from roll 4.

Face gear 9, and hence lower roll 4, may be driven in either direction by means of upper and lower pinions 13 and 14 respectively. These pinions are journalled on a drive shaft 15 which is rotated continuously from any suitable power source (not shown). As shown drive shaft 15 is journalled in head frame 1 by means of an upper sleeve bearing 16 and a lower sleeve bearing 17. Obviously, other types of bearings could be used for this purpose. Upper bearing 16 may be closed by a top cap 16a as shown by Fig. l.

Pinions l3 and 14 are intended to be in engagement continually with face gear 9 and hence they must be properly located on shaft 15. Adjacent upper shaft bearing 16, I provide a spacer 13 to limit the upward travel of pinion 13. Similarly, adjacent lower shaft bearing 17, I provide a spacer l9 limiting the downward movement of pinion 14. In accordance with past practice, and as shown by the aforementioned Dunham patent, a spacer has been employed between the two pinions to maintain their relative positions on the drive shaft for engagement continuously with the face gear. In accordance with this invention, 1 form each of the pinions not only with conventional teeth 2:) out also with an outwardly extending annular flange in the form of a continuous ring at one end of the pinion. The flange 21 for pinion 13 extends outwardly and rides on the outer surface of the teeth 12 of the face gear. Thus, upper pinion 13 is prevented from moving downwardly along drive shaft 15. I provide a similar outwardly extending flange 22 on lower pinion M which likewise may engage the outer surface of the teeth on the face gear to prevent upward movement of this pinion. Normally flange 22 on the lower pinion has a slight clearance with respect to the face gear teeth. However, pinion 14 may tend to move upward with an upward force on shaft 15 or under the influence of clutch friction. Thus, it is clear that in accordance with this invention both pinions are held in properly spaced relation and are rotatable on drive shaft 15 without employing any intermediate spacing means between the pinions. This is an important feature of my invention and permits the use of an improved shifting means hereinafter described.

In accordance with past practice, it has been customary to form each of the drive pinions with a central groove intermediate the ends of the pinion for receiving the arms of a shifting yoke. To engage one of the pinions with the driving shaft, it was further customary to utilize this yoke to shift the pinion axially on the drive shaft to engage a clutch. Thus, it was necessary to provide pinions with relatively long axial dimension to permit this shifting movement without disengagement of the pinions from the teeth of the face gear.

In accordance with my invention as explained above, the driving pinions, while rotatable and journalled on driving shaft 15, are held in properly spaced relation in engagement continuously with the face gear by means of the spacers l8 and 19 and by the annular flanges 21 and 22 on the respective pinions. Hence the intermediate spacer has been eliminated permitting the use of a clutch collar 23 splined to, but slidable on shaft: 15. Hence clutch collar 23 rotates continuously with drive shaft 13. On the upper end of clutch collar 23 is provided a clutch facing in the form of projecting teeth 24. This clutch facing meets with a similar clutch facing on the lower end of pinion 13, such facing again being shown as in the form of projecting teeth 25. Hence, whenever clutch collar 23 is moved to its upper position on shaft 15, the clutch facings 24 and 25 are engaged and hence pinion 13 rotates with shaft 15 to drive face gear 9 and rotate lower roll 4. The opposite end of the clutch collar is similarly provided with a clutch facing in the form of teeth 26 adapted to engage the clutch facing in the form of teeth 27 on the adjacent end of lower pinion 14. Hence, as the clutch co lar is moved its lower position, the lower pinion is rotated with shaft 15 to rotate face gear 9 in the opposite direction.

To operate the clutch collar from a central neutral position, in which the collar does not engage either of the pinions, to a position in engagement with one or the other of the pinions, I employ an eccentric shaft 21? upon which is mounted sliding key 12% positioned Within an annular groove dti encircling the central portion of clutch collar 23. In the embodiment of Fig. 2, I have shown clutch collar 23 in the intermediate position, that is, it is out of engagement with both of the pinions. Eccentric shaft 23 is connected to an operating handle 31. When operating handle 31 is moved to the position shown by Fig. l, the eccentric shaft 28, by means of sliding key 29, has forced clutch collar 23 to the upper position to engage the upper pinion with the drive shaft and thus force rotation of face gear 9 and its connected roll 4. Preferably, the parts are so arranged that clothes 'will pass through the two ringer rolls in the direction indicated by the position of handle 31.

The embodiment of Fig. 2 is identical in all respects to the previously described arrangement with the exception of the form of the two drive pinions and the face gear. Hence, corresponding partshave been assigned the same reference numerals and only so much of this alternate embodiment is described as is necessary for a clear understanding of the differences.

' As shown by Fig. 2, the shaft 7 for a wringer roll is likewise driven from a face gear 32 by use of a coupling 6 engaging hub 8 of the face gear. Face gear 32 in turn is driven by a pair of pinions 33 and 34 journalled on the main drive shaft 15. Either of these pinions may be drivingly connected to shaft 15 by means of clutch ,collar 23 slidably but non-rotatably, mounted on the drive shaft as previously described. Also, as previously described, I employ an upper spacer 18 and a lower spacer 19 on the drive shaft for the respective pinions 33 and 34. However, in accordance with the Fig. 2 embodiment, the face or crown gear 32 is formed with an annular flange 35 in the form of a ring spaced radially inwardly from the teeth 36 of the face gear. This flange is in contact with the lower end surfaces of the teeth of upper pinion 33 and thereby prevents downward movement of this pinion. Also this flange is in contact with the upper end surfaces on pinion 34 to prevent upward movement of this pinion, for example upon disengagement of the clutch.

Economical formation of a gear with an annular flange in the form herein presented has been demonstrated to be feasible by the shell molding process. A rsurn of this process is given in the September 1952 issue of Electrical Manufacturing commencing at page 119. This process permits the molding on a production basis of gears of this form to relatively close tolerances so that only minor finishing operations are required.

While the present invention has been described by reference to particular embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that numerous modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without actually departingfrom the invention. 1, therefore, aim in the appended claims to cover all etui'valcnt variations as come within the true spirit and scope of the foregoing disclosure.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters latent of the United States is:

l. A reversible drive to a driven member such as the roll of a clothes wringer comprising a drive shaft, a pair of pinions journalied on said drive shaft, clutch collar slidably and non-rotatably positioned on said drive shaft intermediate said pinions and having clutch faces on its ends, means defining a cooperating clutch face on each pinion on its end adjacent said collar, manually operated cam means for shifting said clutch collar from a neutral position in either direction selectively to engage a pinion and thereby enforce rotation of that pinion with said drive shaft, a face gear continuously in mesh with both of said pinions, means interconnecting said face gear with the driven member to drive the same, and an annular projecting flange on said face gear cooperating with end surfaces on said pinions to maintain said pinions in axially spaced relation on said drive shaft and in proper meshing relation with said face gear.

2. A reversible drive to a driven member in the form of the roll of a clothes wringer or the like comprising a drive shaft, a pair of pinions journalled on said drive shaft, a clutch collar slidably and non-rotatably positioned on said drive shaft intermediate said pinions and having clutch faces on its ends, means defining a cooperating clutch face on each pinion on its end adjacent said collar, manually operated cam means for shifting said clutch collar from a neutral position in either direction selectively to engage a pinion and thereby enforce rotation of that pinion with said drive shaft, a facegear continuously in mesh with both of said pinions, means interconnecting said face gear with the driven member to drive the same, and an annular radially projecting flange on each pinion on its end opposite its clutch face, each of said flanges engaging an exterior peripheral surface of said face gear to thereby maintain each of said pinions in an axial position on said drive shaft in meshing engagement with said face gear.

3. A reversible drive to a driven member such as the roll of a clothes wringer or the like comprising a drive shaft, a pair of pinion gears journalled on said drive shaft, manually operable means for clutching either of said pinions selectively to said drive shaft, a face gear continuously in mesh with said pinions, means drivingly connecting said face gear to said driven member, and annular flange means on certain of said gears cooperable with end tooth surfaces of the mating gear to space said pinion gears axially on said drive shaft.

4. A reversible drive to a driven member such as the roll of a clothes wringer or the like comprising a drive shaft, a pair of pinion gears ionrnalled on said drive shaft, manually operable means for clutchingeither of said pinions to said drive shaft selectively, a face gear continuously in mesh with said pinions, means drivingly connecting said face gear to said driven member, and spacing means to maintain the relative axial positions of said pinion gears on said drive shaft comprising cooperating integral annular flange means on one gear engaging end tooth surfaces on a mating gear.

References Cited in the file of this patent urnrno srarns PATENTS 647,404 Hay Apr. 10, 1900 2,094,278 Morin Sept. 28, 1937 2,482,717 Oakley Sept. 20, 1949 2,602,347 Miller July 8, 1952 

